Posts Tagged ‘time lapse’

Gorgeous tropical sunsets are the stuff Hawaiian post cards are made of. The Kona and Kohala Coast of the Big Island offer some spectacular spots to watch the sun dip below the horizon and enjoy the last rays of the day. The lagoon at the Fairmont Orchid Hotel was my favorite sunset spot on my recent trip to the Aloha State.

Big Island Sunset Time-Lapse

I shot the sunset time lapse above using the Time-Lapse function on my iPhone 6s on the lagoon beach at the Fairmont Orchid, which is a popular gathering spot around sunset.

Last light off the Kohala Coast of the Big Island

After sunset, the Fairmont Orchid hotel offers stargazing opportunities for guests a few nights a week, with giant telescopes set up right on the property and an on-site astronomer.

Big Island sunset at the Fairmont Orchid

Sunset at the Coconut Grove

The Fairmont Orchid’s Coconut Grove is a popular choice for destination weddings on the Big Island. The scenery is pretty spectacular.

On my recent trip to New Zealand, I spent a night in Auckland before flying to Queenstown. My room at the Auckland Hilton had a nice view of Auckland Harbour and I was up before sunrise. When I noticed a cruise ship heading into the Harbour, I quickly set up my iPhone 6s to make this time lapse video.

For previous time lapse videos, I’ve used apps like TimeLapse and Hyperlapse from Instagram. I’m really happy with the results I got using the native camera’s time-lapse feature on the iPhone 6s. I set up this time lapse shot by clamping my iPhone 6s to my room’s balcony using my In Your Face Viewbase.

My layover in Auckland was so short, I thought about staying near the airport. But stumbling upon this pretty sunrise scene, I’m glad I didn’t.

Do you have a favorite app or way to make time lapse videos? Let me know in the comments thread.

Greetings from Iceland! It’s time for the My Life’s a Trip annual retreat, and this year Anastasia Chernykh, social media manager for this blog, and I decided to meet up in Iceland for photo tours and bonding.

I also really wanted to try IcelandAir‘s non-stop flight from Seattle’s SeaTac airport to Reykjavik’s Keflavik’s International airport which got me here in a speedy 6 hours and 45 minutes. While reading the in-flight magazine, I learned that Greenland is the new Iceland. Maybe we’ll keep that in mind for our next retreat!

Greenland is the new Iceland

We’ll be spending the next few days exploring Southern Iceland’s Golden Circle, including the Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir and Thingvellir National Park. Then we’ll check out Vatnajokull National park along with the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and two of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. I even packed my tripod in case we catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), which have been showing themselves in the area since August.

Until then, enjoy the time lapse we made during our visit to Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon.

Obligatory Blue Lagoon #selfie

If you want to follow our travels virtually, follow along on twitter and instagram.

Colors in the Kantju Gorge in Uluru- Kata Tjuta National Park at sunset

Almost as soon as I arrived in the Australian Outback at Longitude 131, it was time to head to Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) to take the Mala Walk around the base of the sacred rock. We hiked around the base and explored a few caves and wound up in Kantju Gorge just in time to watch the sunset, when the color of the rock was most vivid and changed every few minutes.

The crew from Longitude 131 met us in the gorge with small bites and beverages so we could enjoy a sundowner while watching the colors shift during sunset at Uluru.

The view from one of the aboriginal caves along the Mala Walk

The colors shifted every few minutes

Looking straight up at Australia’s biggest Rock Star

What Not to Do at Uluru: don’t walk on the rock

Although many tourists come to Ayers Rock intent on bragging rights about climbing it, it’s really not cool to do so. Uluru is considered sacred by it’s aboriginal owners, the Anangu. There are signs everywhere making it very clear that they would prefer you NOT climb the 1.6 kilometer path up the rock.

The steep climb is also very dangerous and several climbers have died. The Anangu people have been known to attend the funerals of climbers who have died. The narrow path is often closed due to high winds. If you want to see the view from the top, take a scenic helicopter tour instead.

I asked my husband to be a makeshift tripod when filming a cloud hyperlapse.

Pro tip: if you’re going to use your husband as your photo assistant and ask him to hold still while you shoot a hyperlapse on his iPhone 6, it’s best to get him a cocktail first.

If pools were supermodels, the Bondi Icebergs Club oceanfront pool would be either Miranda Kerr or Elle Macpherson. It’s pure Australian, often photographed, and does not have a bad angle.

I shot this fun time lapse using the native camera on my iPhone 6 from the bar at Icebergs

If you’re visiting Sydney, you should know that Bondi Beach a little out of the way, and a little bit hippy dippy. But Bondi has a fun surf scene, great dining spots, and great people watching. But it’s the incredible pool located at Bondi Icebergs Club that is one of it’s most photographic sights.

Waves and sand splash into the Bondi Icebergs Club pool regularly

Pool or ocean, swimmers take their pick

I just had a brief layover in Sydney and decided to make a point to fight my jet lag and go to Bondi Beach in an attempt to get a decent shot of this supermodel swimming pool without going in it. It’s winter in Sydney and this pool is cold. That’s why so many of the swimmers wear full wet suits while doing laps.

Into the blue at the Bondi Icebergs pool

I have an irrational fear of sharks in swimming pools. As much as my husband likes to tease me about this fear, even he agrees if there were ever going to be a shark in a swimming pool, this would be the one. I am much happier shooting photos.

Bondi Got Back

If you’re in Sydney and want to see the Bondi Icebergs pool for yourself, take an Uber not a taxi. It’s less expensive and a far more pleasant experience. I’d also suggest skipping dining at Icebergs and instead head to nearby Bondi Hardware. Pop into the bar at Icebergs for a drink only (and a great perspective of the pool).